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Happy St. Andrews Day, a national holiday in Romania and Scotland.

COMMISSION ENERGY PACKAGE IS TODAY’S BIG NEWS: It’s positioned behind defense announcements (see next items) in the Commission’s media plan, but with nine pieces of legislation and the Commission’s winter survival plan, energy is the real power play.

The Commission’s also got its house in order: The package is an “A point” on the College agenda, meaning it’s a done deal that will be automatically adopted without discussion.

What we know: It’s a drastic electricity market makeover,setting common rules and better integrating the bloc’s disparate markets in order to better combine the growing share of renewables into the power mix, empower consumers and increase energy efficiency, among other things. The 1,000-page so-called “jumbo” package to overhaul the EU power market “is one of the most significant legislative proposals in years,” reports Anca Gurzu, for Pro subscribers here.

What we don’t know: What name they will ultimately give it. Smart money is on “clean energy package.”

Who wins? Miguel Arias Cañete, the climate action and energy commissioner, appears to have nailed most of the outstanding issues he outlined last Friday on-stage with Playbook. Energy efficiency campaigners will get their binding 30 percent energy efficiency target. There will be green limits (if not green enough for NGOs) for standby power “capacity mechanisms,” meaning that inefficient coal, for example, won’t get financial support. Those wanting more biofuels in transport fuels from 2021 will also be pleased.

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“Even the strongest soft powers cannot make do in the long run without at least some integrated defense capacities,” said Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in June 2014, before taking office.

EU policymakers fear European industry lacks the technological ability to build the next generation of critical military equipment. Ultimately, this will affect national and EU strategic autonomy.

What to expect today: No legislation but plans for a fundto “turbo boost” defense research; more European Investment Bank finance options for defense suppliers; more voluntary cross-border procurement (to eliminate over-spending and equipment duplication); hooking up the EU space program with national militaries.

What you won’t see today: Detailed priorities (to be defined by EU national governments, who would also own the assets and technology.)

LIST OF 2017 EU LEGISLATIVE PRIORITIES: No major surprises here, but a useful list of the files that leaders will seek to fast-track in 2017.

EXCLUSIVE — CONFLICT OF INTEREST FEARS OVER GEORGIEVA’S WORLD BANK DEALINGS: Six months before Kristalina Georgieva left her European Commission post, her office negotiated changes to the way the EU funds her former and future employer, the World Bank, according to EU officials and documents obtained by POLITICO.

The changes have alarmed some Commission staff, writes Giulia Paravicini. The EU contributes some €400 million a year to World Bank projects – contributions that also include a management fee provided to the World Bank. “In April, Georgieva’s office agreed to a new payment structure, replacing a flat management fee with a more complex formula that three senior Commission officials with direct knowledge of the file say could result in a greater proportion of the EU’s contributions going to World Bank overhead.” An official from Georgieva’s office dismissed concerns of a conflict of interest. Read the full story here.

ECJ — UBER CASE: The European Court of Justice on Tuesday kicked off a case that will have significant repercussions for Uber and other online platforms. The key question: Is it a tech company or a transport firm? Nicholas Hirst has the dispatch.

On Tuesday, ahead of the meeting, Çelik told David M. Herszenhorn he still had hopes his country could join the bloc. He reiterated that European nations failed to properly recognize the threat Turkey faced during a failed coup attempt last July, and had unfairly criticized Turkey for the crackdown that followed.

PARLIAMENT BEGINS A TWO-DAY BRUSSELS PLENARY SESSION: Topping the official agenda is the2017 EU budget. In reality everyone’s talking about the vacant presidency post after the departure of Martin Schulz, as well as the endless committee reshuffling that filling it will require.

JUNCKER’S PARLIAMENTARY HEADACHE: With the Juncker-Schulz political bromance in the dustbin of history, life is about to get tougher for the Commission and its president, report Maïa de la Baume and Bjarke Smith-Meyer.

SPEAKING OF THE RACE FOR PARLIAMENT PRESIDENT …

Socialists: Gianni Pittella plans to make a bid. Expect his launch at 1:30pm today with a press statement about “S&D strategy for the mid-term.”
EPP:Mairead McGuinness formally joins the race. McGuinness emailed colleagues at lunchtime Tuesday a three-sentence statement, suggesting they give her a call if they want to know more about her vision.

Liberals undecided: Long discussions amongst the ALDE group have yet to produce a result. Playbook’s sources say they won’t join the race easily, possibly preferring plum committee spots while keeping an eye on eurogroup and council positions up for grabs between 2017 and 2019.

Giles Merritt argues for a disruptive race. Writing forFriends of Europe, Merritt says “Europe’s mainstream political parties should stop bemoaning the successes of populists and get their own house in order. That means abandoning practices within the EU that, rightly or wrongly, look to outsiders like political fixes” as the election “introduces yet another factor of volatility in Brussels.”

OETTINGER-WATCH: The Commission has replied to a question from Playbook about whether it is common practice for Commissioners to accept private flights from lobbyists, whether acting for an EU government or not.

Günther Oettinger, the commissioner for digital economy, has come under fire after he traveled to Budapest at the invitation of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on the private plane of a pro-Russia German businessman.

Here’s the Commission response:

“We have strict rules in the Commission regarding missions – and these were followed in the case of Commissioner Oettinger. Commissioners must use the most appropriate and cost-effective means of transport …

“The use of chartered air transport can be considered only when commercial flights are not available to reach a destination, when they cannot fit with the Commissioner’s diary or for security reasons …

“Whilst there are no formal rules that would prevent Commissioners from taking a private plane, Commissioners must of course ensure that there is no conflict of interest. Incidentally, the president takes the view that Commissioners should not use private planes and that, in case they do, they should seek his approval. The president takes a lot of distance towards such practices.

“Having said that, when a government of an EU member states offers a plane for practical reasons to facilitate a mission to this country, I think it’s safe to presume that there is no conflict of interest.”

ROMA REPORT — EUROPE’S ORIGINAL INCLUSION PROBLEM: Political attention has been focused recently on the challenges of integrating refugees and economic migrants in Europe. But a new study of 8,000 Roma by the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights suggests that, after centuries of stigmatization, Roma are still excluded from basic rights and living in “shocking conditions” around Europe.

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THE PLAYBOOK INTERVIEW — WITH MICHAEL O’FLAHERTY, HEAD OF THE EU’S AGENCY FOR FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS:

How bad is the situation of Europe’s Roma? “We’ve got a crisis for Europe’s largest minority,” he said, describing it as “quite frankly off the charts” and something that “would be unacceptable for any other group.”

Widespread and illegal school segregation: “The segregation is very serious. It multiplies disadvantage. 60 percent are segregated or de facto segregated. Only 5 percent advance education beyond [the age of] 18.”

On current policy effectiveness: “Very disappointing returns”

Who’s to blame, who needs to take responsibility? “I include all of us. Individually, we have a tendency towards attitudes that are apartheid-like and we have to confront it.”

How can policy-makers be more effective? O’Flaherty said the lack of data prevents better decision-making.

EDUCATION IN EMERGENCIES: Commissioner Christos Stylianides, former U.K. Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Ömer Çelik, Turkey’s minister for European Union affairs, will headline an event in Brussels today to raise support for education for children in crisis situations. Joining them will be will be Maria Calivis, UNICEF’s deputy executive director, Nicklas Lundblad, Google’s vice president for Public Policy EMEA, and Linda McAvan, chair of the committee on development, European Parliament.

ITALY REFERENDUM LATEST …

Today is the last day for overseas voting in the referendum.

Watch out for how the referendum is playing on Italian TV: POLITICO’s Jacopo Barigazzi, who has been camped out in Italy reporting on the campaign, says all local television stations except for La7 are delivering pro-“Yes” coverage, even Silvio Berlusconi’s channels. What may also be flying under anglophone radars is coded language from Prime Minister Matteo Renzi’s camp about a “technocratic government” may sound like “higher taxes” to millions of Italians.

Meanwhile, in the pages of the foreign press … Italy’s foreign minister took to the opinion page of the English-language Financial Times — not usually known as the home of Italian swing voters — to argue that if the referendum fails, Italian stability will be at stake.

Investors say there’s a 19.3 percent chance Italy leaves the eurozone in the next 12 months — the highest level in the four years this survey has been running. Reuters.

FRANCE — FILLON’S PROPOSALS: French media Contexte.com took at look at 94 policy proposals from the conservative presidential contender François Fillon. Look for the proposal on a new relationship with the European court of human rights … among what is otherwise mostly ideas centered on the economy.

BREXIT CORNER …

Tusk-trolling: European Council President Donald Tusk sent an amusing letter yesterday in response to a group of Euroskeptic British MPs who complained that the EU isn’t dancing to their tune. The MPs seem to think the Brexit negotiation is just like issuing a wish list for Christmas. Read Tusk’s reply here.

Twitter-trolling: The British diplomatic service tweeted on Monday that “More Scotch Whisky is sold in one month in France than Cognac in a year.” If that is the case, if British diplomats want Brexit to go down a little easier during negotiations with their French counterparts, they may be wise to bring some Scottish whiskey. That is if First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon will let them.

UKRAINE — CHERNOBYL GOT ITS NEW SARCOPHAGUS: After years of construction, a new structure was finalized to cover the exploded reactor of the former Chernobyl nuclear power-plant. The Guardian

SOUTH KOREA — South Korea’s president, embattled by a corruption and influence-peddling scandal, offered to resign if lawmakers demand it. By Anna Fifield in the Washington Post.

TRUMP CORNER …

APPOINTMENTS: Steven Terner Mnuchin, a financier with deep roots on Wall Street and in Hollywood but no government experience, is expected to be named Donald Trump’s treasury secretary as soon as Wednesday, people close to the transition say. Mnuchin, 53, was the national finance chairman for Trump’s campaign. Elaine Chao, Mitch McConnell’s wife, is also expected to be appointed to cabinet.

THE TRUMP EFFECT AROUND THE WORLD: The election of Donald Trump’s is influencing markets, currencies and government policies as the world bets on how he will rewrite international rules, says The New York Times.

TRUMP IRONY: The legal doctrine adopted by anti-immigration advocates in the U.S. could be also prove useful to launch legal action when it comes to Trump’s own potential conflicts of interests. By POLITICO’s Josh Gerstein.

BRUSSELS CORNER …

THE EX–FILES: Former Commissioner Joaquín Almunia became the new chairman of the think-tank CEPS. Meanwhile, former WTO Director-General and European Commissioner for Trade, Pascal Lamy, was appointed yesterday to chair a high-level group in the European Commission on the future of the EU research and innovation.

CHANGING ROLES: Patrizio Fiorilli, currently of Platforma and formerly of the Commission spokespersons service, is joining the cabinet of regional policy Commissioner Corina Cretu.

APPOINTED: Richard Morningstar, former U.S. ambassador to the EU, is now a senior advisor on energy issues at the Albright Stonebridge Group. Ward Wijndelts has been appointed as Editor-in-Chief for the Dutch weekly opinion magazine Vrij Nederland, joining from Mindshakes.com, the millennial journalism platform he founded.

STRANGE NEW DECORATIONS: Lamps in front of the Parliament on Place Luxembourg h/t Pawel D. Wisniewski

WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT BIRTHDAYS: Playbook often gets asked, “How do you get into the birthday section?” The simple answer is: by telling me about either you own birthday, that of your friend, boss — or even your enemy. HR departments are notoriously reluctant to share this sort of information, but Playbook encourages you to. After all, who doesn’t like to receive a bunch of warm wishes?

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